The Art of Winning Puck Battles With Your Hips

How do players with amazing battling abilities keep control of the puck in tight situations. How do they emerge victorious, puck on their stick, from almost every corner battle? How does Sidney Crosby effortlessly fend off the best defenders in the NHL? How do smaller players win the puck in the corners against that bigger guys?

One of the best techniques to achieve success in puck battles is by employing the hips. Using the hips to separate opposing player’s hips from the puck creates a wall of protection around the puck.

By creating this wall, the defender’s first option is to try to push the puck carrier forward into the boards. The next option is to steal the puck, but in order to do that, the defender must move around the puck carrier. If the puck carrier uses his feet, knees, and hips to keep moving and prevent the defender’s stick from poking the puck, then the offensive player can make a pass, a shot, or deke to get to a better spot on the ice.

Watch this video to see the full explanation!

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About the Author

JasonYee

Hi, I'm Jason Yee. I'm a professional hockey player, kinesiologist, and the founder of Train 2.0. My goal is to make instructions for hockey players simple, trustworthy, and measurable by leveraging science, technology, and psychology. My method is to research NHLers through video, instruct others and myself, then gather feedback to refine my knowledge. I love documenting the journey publicly and online. I'd love to hear from you and let me know what you think - Your feedback is my oxygen. Thanks for reading my article today. Hit me up on email: jason@train2point0.com or follow my Instagram account: @train2point0